Colours
by Danielle Anderson
Summary: “I have always trusted Raitokun's sense of fashion, if nothing else.” Raito, L.


Fic: Colours  
Author: Danielle Anderson  
Rating: T  
Disclaimer: I don't own _Death Note_.

**A/N: This is a story where both Raito and L are genderswitched, i.e., girls. It's not femslash, rather a friendship/humour fic. If you aren't big on genderswap, then perhaps there's no need to continue, though I'd be glad if you gave this a chance :). It's set during the Yotsuba arc when Raito has amnesia and L is being very clingy and Misa is as doting as ever (as a friend). Happy reading!**

Raito was not big on colours. Sure, she liked tasteful shades as much as the next person but bright, stark shades she was not so fond of. They seemed too gaudy for her, not at all colours that a proper lady should wear - not that they should wear much make up in the first place. She herself preferred to use natural shades and a just a touch of black eyeliner and mascara. Make up was supposed to enhance your features, not make them artificial. She hated the 'painted on' look. It was cheap and superficial, nothing striking or elegant.

The colours Misa wore made her wince because despite her genius IQ, she still didn't get how someone could don shades like..._purple_...and..._raspberry_...and _black_.

_On their lips_.

Well, she had to give the model credit for managing to look cute in those ridiculous costumes and red-and-white stockings and flowery grey frills but how did she expect anyone to take her seriously if she dressed like that? Raito, who liked to think of herself as quite reasonable, couldn't bother to give Misa the time of the day (now she was starting to think like L) but the older woman, having no qualms about snubbing other people (subtle as she was), sometimes used Misa as a source of entertainment.

Raito preferred not to take part in any of this. She believed in justice, in the strong protecting the weak...

But not in letting the weak paint her face with those abominable shades.

"Come on, Raito," Misa whined behind her, her blond hair done in high ponytails on either side, make her look like a two-horned devil. She was clutching vehemently at a stack of lipstick and eyeshadow and mascaras and some other things that the brunette didn't even know what they were. And her strawberry red lips were twisted in a pout that was designed to look cute but Raito just found it annoying.

"Not now, Misa, I'm working." Her fingers started striking the keys more furiously than before as if to prove her point and she struggled to keep her voice from rising. She was usually so cool-tempered but this girl was always one to try her patience.

"You never play dress up with me," Misa stomped her foot on the ground in childish annoyance that made Raito roll her eyes - just what was she planning to achieve through this? "I wait here almost everyday with all these pretty _colours_ that would bring out your eyes and your hair but you don't even bother to look at them."

Raito didn't have the guts to tell Misa that those "pretty colours" made her shudder because she had no desire to look like a replica of the petite Lolita. An image of them standing in front of the mirror and wearing black frilly tunics and garter belts in front of the mirror, and then in the control room, Matsuda commenting like an idiot that they looked like _sisters_, flashed in her mind's eye and she tried not to blanch so obviously.

She sighed dramatically and shook her head. "Misa-chan," her voice softened to mellow the other girl's high spirits. "I'd love to try out what you have there but catching Kira is a priority for Ryuuzaki and me."

"Ryuuzaki doesn't have to try on the make up," she argued shrewdly, glaring holes into the hunched back of the detective, who was sitting a few feet away from Raito, the chain of the handcuffs dangling between them like a ribbon. "And you're the one who's working. _She's_ just driving you like a slave."

This was true, to a certain extent. Even after Raito had discovered the link between Kira and the Yotsuba Corporation, L had still insisted on being withdrawn and letting her do all the work. The younger woman tried not to complain, explaining to herself that the experience would be very useful when she finally joined the NPA, and if this was how far she had to go to proving her innocence, then that was what she'd do.

She risked a glance at L at her side. The older woman was perched oddly on her chair, messy ebony locks cascading down her temples, nonchalantly peeling a banana as though she hadn't heard a single thing Misa had uttered.

_Hmm, maybe I should try that some time._

"I am sorry to keep Raito-kun away from you for so long, Amane-san," her deep voice sounded through the room like a vibration, "but I hope you understand that this is a necessity. People are dying and we need to find Kira before it gets out of hand."

_It already has gotten out of hand_, Raito wanted to say but she kept her mouth shut because she didn't want to say anything to demotivate Ryuuzaki or make herself look like a Kira groupie.

Or Kira.

"You always say that," Misa pouted stubbornly, her bright blue eyes narrowed with displeasure. "But surely you can't work 24/7?" Her expression changed into one of concern as she looked at her friend, working away. "Raito needs her beauty sleep. She hasn't had any fresh air in almost three months. I can already see the dark circles under her eyes and her ribs are starting to stick out!"

Raito paused for an instant, wondering when Misa had seen her ribs.

Looked like Ryuuzaki wasn't the only voyeur in the premises.

Oh, and Matsuda, that idiot.

(And she would never admit this but right then, she desperately wanted a hand-mirror - no, there couldn't be any _dark circles_ under her eyes, could there? That was Ryuuzaki's department. And while she admired the other woman, she had no desire to look like her.)

The raven-haired detective titled her head at Misa's direction, the slightest movement, locks brushing over her dark eyes. "I assure Amane-san that I feed Raito-kun well enough," she sounded a little surprised. And offended.

Misa did not back down. "How can you call that healthy food, Ryuuzaki?" she demanded, pointing accusingly at the silver cart of sweets just beside L, blue eyes flashing. "Not everyone can live off cream tarts and snow pies like you, you freak! And Raito doesn't even like sweets, you'd know that after living with her for so long."

L, surprised by this sudden outburst, met Raito's eyes, as though asking, _What the hell is going on?_ Raito kept her face unreadable. She was having too much fun cheering the model on for telling off L. It was high time someone did.

"Raito needs real food!" declared Misa with unwavering conviction. "You have to get her soup! Bread! Meat! Real food."

L stared at her mutely, at a loss for words. And then she said, "Is it that time for the month for Amane-san?" Her voice was light and taunting, earning Raito's wary disapproval because egging Misa on when she was angry was not a wise thing to do...

To her astonishment - and L's - Misa glared at her for another brief moment before turning away, her chin tilted up defiantly, with a little _hmph_ and then she gave Raito a sweet, friendly smile.

"Well, since I can't dress you up," she said nicely, "let me just leave these with you. You can put them on at lunch and then show me! I'll take a picture, too."

"Uh...okay," Raito smiled weakly, all resistance suddenly vanishing as Misa dropped the various cosmetics on her lap with a cheerful grin.

"Okay," Misa then hurried to the door, skipping like a happy little goth girl. When she reached the door, she raised a hand gloved in black fishnet, "See you soon, Raito."

"Er...yeah," answered Raito awkwardly and then the blonde left. She bent down to stare uneasily at all the jars and tubes and bottles dumped on her lap, unwanted burdens, wondering how she had suddenly let Misa talk her into this.

Maybe Misa was Kira because they did have a theory that Kira could control his victims' actions...

"Those look quite interesting, Yagami-kun," L remarked, interrupting her thoughts, tilting her chin towards the cosmetics. "What are you planning to do with them?"

Raito stared at them for another look moment before coolly meeting L's dark gaze and answering, "Nothing."

L looked curious but she didn't say anything.

They worked for about another hour in silence, the only sound in the room that of the keys and the chain clinking against the metal of their chairs. The brunette didn't pay this much attention and she was glad to get rid of that unwanted weight; the cosmetics were now resting proudly on another empty chair beside her. She'd kept them there because it wouldn't be a good idea to put all that stuff on the computer table. Then again, she noticed as she glanced at her partner, L was always putting bowls of jello and plates of cookies beside the monitor and the keyboard without any regard for the safety of the equipment, so why should she bother?

Because she wasn't a multi-billionaire private detective.

Idly, as she kept on working, Raito wondered how much the dark-haired woman was getting paid for the Kira case. One billion? Two billion? In dollars or yen?

"I believe we have merited ourselves a break, wouldn't you say, Raito-kun?" The detective had now swung her chair to face Raito, eyes dark and intense and big as usual.

Raito hid a frown. Merited a break? Ryuuzaki was saying that? Usually, _she_ was the one to ask for a break, weak from a growling stomach and drooping eyelids, aching bones and tired heart, but now L was saying this? She quickly saved her work and turned her head towards the other with a small, albeit fake smile.

"Yes," she agreed. Inside, she was quite curious to know what the other was thinking because when L eyed people and chewed her finger like that, it meant that she was up to something.

To her further astonishment, L quickly swooped down from her chair and stood up...well, as up as she could manage with her bad posture.

"Come on," she said and the younger woman followed her wordlessly, waiting to see what she was going to do. "And don't forget to take the make-up."

Raito rolled her eyes and did what she was told. She'd been secretly hoping that she would be able to leave those abominations at the control room, but no, Ryuuzaki was bent on making her life miserable.

"We will shower first," said L over her shoulder and Raito nodded. That was normal enough. Owing to the circumstances, mainly of L being a slave driver, she was able to shower on alternate days. She took care not to take up too much time in the bathroom, bathing quickly and efficiently while L waited outside but she hadn't failed to notice that the other woman did not often use the bathing facilities.

Which meant that L was not big on hygiene.

Oh well, at least she didn't smell bad.

Though Raito was now mildly taken aback since L had said "_We_ will shower first" so it meant that L must be obviously in the mood to get clean and fluffy today.

She did wish that the other woman would shower more often. Or at least take off these ridiculous handcuffs because living in such close quarters with someone, you learn things about them that you didn't want to know in the first place.

Like L did not brush her teeth properly in the morning. And Raito still didn't understand how her teeth looked strong and white. But L was rich so maybe she could afford several trips every year to the dentist.

L let Raito use the shower first, standing near the basin, lanky arm jerking from time to time as Raito's hands moved to shampoo her hair and then soap herself with a bottle of Clinique shower gel. All this time, she'd even noticed that L didn't have her own toiletries, besides an old blue toothbrush, and she couldn't help but suspect that L used _her_ soap and shampoo.

Well, whatever, as long as she was taking a shower.

It was L's turn soon and while she bathed, Raito quickly threw on a fresh pair of trousers and a mauve shirt, which an old admirer had gifted her. She had meant to throw the shirt away but it was coming quite useful now. She quickly blow-dried her hair and combed it, making sure that no strand was out of place. For even though Raito Yagami did not use much make-up, she still liked to look snappy.

Remembering what Misa had said earlier, she took a good look at herself in the bathroom mirror. Oh, dear, were those really dark circles under her eyes? She really needed to get more sleep!

Or a good concealer.

L was done in fifteen minutes (had she even washed herself properly?) and she came out with her ebony locks dripping wet and a towel wrapped around herself, looking somewhat like a displeased cat who'd just had water splashed all over its body. The younger woman discreetly turned her back so that L could towel herself and get dressed.

Some time later, L said huskily, "Let's go."

They went.

Cinnamon eyes went wide with astonishment as they caught sight of the lunch tray beside the nightstand in the room.

L noticed her reaction and smirked superiorly. "Amane-san was giving me a hard time about your meals," she reminded the younger woman, "so I ringed Watari to bring up some 'real food'."

"L," she breathed in disbelief. "You shouldn't have."

There was a silver lunch tray near the bed with a steaming bowl of chilli noodles, along with a glass of orange juice, a cup of green tea and another glass of water. It was hardly a fitting combination but it was good food and Raito would not look a gift horse in the mouth.

She eagerly dove into her noodles with two wooden chopsticks as L lazily flipped through the TV channels while munching on chocolate and peanut butter sandwiches and sipping sweet coffee.

"_Last night, two more criminals were killed by Kira, the NPA reports..._"

"_And now we move onto our next program_, Kira: Terrorist or Saviour?".

Raito grimaced and turned away, her appetite wavering like candlelight. She happened upon news like this all the time when she browsed the internet and it made her sick how one individual could quickly take over the world like this with a twisted sense of justice. What baffled her is how L could suspect her of being that individual.

True, Kira and she had a lot in common mentally in relation to their views on the deliverance of justice and punishing evildoers but she had trouble accepting that she would actually act on those ideals, kill so many people and not remember it.

Of course, this was something she would never confess to the older woman.

Who was looking at her right now as if waiting too whether her expression would change upon hearing about Kira.

She tried not to show her discomfort and chose to concentrate on her delicious spicy noodles, which would get cold soon if she didn't eat it fast.

Thank God neither of them were having their periods (like they had been during their first fight), otherwise Raito would've slapped her just for staring at her like that.

"It's interesting that Kira has reached a celebrity status in such a short period of time, wouldn't you say?" L remarked carelessly and Raito's shoulders tensed, noodles pausing midway to her mouth.

_That bitch._

"Well," she shrugged and ate her noodles. "Killing masses in just a year can do that do you, I guess," she answered carefully.

But not carefully enough because L's interest had been peaked and she switched off the television to focus on the younger woman. "That's fascinating," her voice was soft with a subtle hint of challenge that Raito did not like the sound of. "Is that something you'd do, Yagami-kun, just to get attention?"

Raito couldn't suppress a snort. "Get over it, Ryuuzaki," her lips curled in a little sneer with the slightest baring of teeth to show her impatience. "I'm not Kira. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

L said nothing but kept looking at her. Stubbornly ignoring her, Raito finished her pleasant lunch, which had just been ruined by the other's obnoxious queries and comments; no matter how much she tried to get along with the detective, the latter kept making it impossible by throwing Kira accusations at her when she least expected it. She'd almost given up all hope and it offended her to know that L simply _wanted_ her to be Kira just so that she would be right.

Well, Raito would just have to watch her back more carefully, then.

She was done with her meal and she could really do with a brief nap (she hadn't napped since she was five but lack of sleep would make you want to rest in the most inconvenient times). However, Ryuuzaki seemed to have other things on her twisted little mind.

"Why don't you check out all the things Misa-san gave you?" she suggested with a gesture towards the wardrobe, where all the cosmetics had been kept.

"What?" Raito cried under her breath, incredulous, as she followed the black gaze to the wardrobe. Damn it, why did L have to keep bringing that up?

"She was eager to see you all dressed up," said L. "It'd be a shame to disappoint her."

Gingerly, Raito got up and moved towards the wardrobe, L following suite, only to then crouch at the foot of the bed. She picked up a tube of bright pink lipgloss with her thumb and forefinger - L's habits were starting to rub off on her - and then her mouth curled with distaste as she quickly put it away to examine the little boxes of eyeshadow that came in a range of shades like frosted taupe and sky blue and...orange-brown.

Hmm, the orange brown didn't look too bad. It reminded Raito of Stuart Townsend in _The Queen of the Damned_. To be honest, the best thing about the movie had been his make-up but she wasn't about to try that look on herself. That was Misa's department.

In the mirror, she saw L _leering_ at her, waiting to see what she would do with all these cosmetics.

"Go on, Raito-kun," L urged in that monotonous drawl that got under the brunette's nerves. "I really do think that those hues will bring out your eyes and your hair."

Raito reluctantly went through all the cosmetics, shuddering again at the image of herself looking like a Misa replica until a brilliantly diabolical idea lit her up, and she turned to face the detective with a plastered innocent smile.

"Why don't _you_ put some of this make up, Ryuuzaki?" she suggested with the slightest touch of maliciousness. "I don't think your usual get up does you any justice."

L was astonished; clearly she hadn't expected _that_.

"Raito-kun should know that I have no interest in such trivial matters," she went back to chewing her thumb. "I see no point in painting my face and looking like a porcelain doll."

It was amazing that they had the same thoughts about make up but still took a perverse pleasure in taunting each other with it.

"Come on, Ryuuzaki," the younger woman urged, turning the tables on the detective. "It'll be fun. And besides, these colours won't suit me - I'm too tanned." She smiled again, grabbing a loganberry lipliner like a butcher grabbing a knife for the perfect opportunity for revenge. "You're far paler than me so these will look way better on you."

Obsidian eyes bulged with astonishment and all weak protests died on those thin lips as Raito advanced towards their owner, armed with Misa's goth cosmetics. For once, L actually looked nervous.

"I've never worn make up before," she confessed like a little girl, looking at the cosmetics with wide-eyed curiosity.

"It's fun," Raito assured her, first rubbing a generous amount of cold cream over the sallow skin; since L was so pale, she needed no base make up. L looked lost to the foreign sensation of someone rubbing something on her face and then she gave in with some awkward hesitation.

_Good girl._

L's skin was a little softer and more fragrant now, making Raito wonder why she didn't put cold cream more often. Okay, what next? Oh, yes, eyeshadow, what did Misa have?

She peered at the English writing on the little boxes and read BONNE BELL. Hmm, Misa had make up imported from the West, how interesting. And this selection of grey, black, silver and white was called Hip Hop Charcoals.

An evil smile lit Raito's face. _Perfect_.

L was looking up at her innocently like she was waiting for benediction or something and then Raito said, "Close your eyes.

L did so.

Raito dabbed the brush the compartment of black, watching as the cotton darkened immensely, reminding her of L's hair. And naturally smokey eyes. Gently, she drew the brush from the the inner corner of the eyelid to the outer, watching as the ivory skin darkened to ebony, awing her. She then subjected the other eye to the same fate, along with highlighting the brow bones in silver.

When she was done, L opened her eyes and was about to eagerly go and look in the mirror, but she stopped her. "Not yet, Ryuuzaki, I'm not done."

With a childish pout, L stayed put and closed her eyes again when asked. She flinched slightly when the cold brush of the liquid eyeliner touched her skin.

"Hold still," Raito chided her, grabbing her chin to keep her in place. She carefully drew thick, even lines over the lashlines, the inky liquid glistening over the powdery black as the thin brush glided smoothly. She took a step back and admired her handiwork with a smirk.

For someone who didn't wear much make up, she reckoned that she could've made a comfortable living as a make up artist.

"Is it done yet?" the older woman asked impatiently.

"No," said Raito. "Just the mascara and the lipstick left. Just be patient."

The mascara didn't take too long to apply and L had to open her eyes for that. She blinked quite a few times during the procedure, earning angry glares from the younger woman, but finally, they were done with the eye make up.

"Now just the lipstick."

She'd considered putting some blush on L but she didn't think it would suit her. After all, goths rarely used blush and she wanted L to look like a goth (her true self), so any healthy colour to the face was out of the question.

There was a worn out tube of purple lipstick that Misa had obviously used a lot and Raito smiled evilly as she decided that this would be the color to go on L's mouth.

Stupid sweet-munching mouth.

L didn't notice much of the color that went on her lips. She parted her lips to let Raito paint them properly after lining them (with violet) and when that was done, Raito smiled like a fiend and put the cosmetics away, "You can look in the mirror now."

With childlike inquisitiveness, L rose and hunched over to the wardrobe mirror and the brunette bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

Because Ryuuzaki looked so ridiculous.

L stared at herself blankly in the mirror for a few moments. And then she spoke.

"I look like a King's Cross whore."

And Raito could no longer hold it inside. Laughter burst out of her like water from a dam and her whole body shook with mirth as she saw L looking into the mirror, imagining her saying, _Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?_

Well, Raito, surely. Or anyone else who didn't wear goth make up.

"It's not so bad, Ryuuzaki," she said as her laughter died down, grinning at the other, who was not blinking at all at her own image, and she did not look amused.

L turned towards Raito. "I have always trusted Raito-kun's sense of fashion, if nothing else," she sounded almost angry, though she did not raise her voice, and the younger woman lifted an eyebrow to hear her out. "You have made an utter fool out of me. I am starting to think that you really might be Kira, based on your ability to hoodwink a skilled detective just with cosmetics."

"Admitting defeat isn't your style," drawled Raito, rolling her eyes at the Kira accusation. She should've seen that one coming. _And you must be a really lame-ass detective if you were fooled by make up._

L looked at the mirror again, and then looked most displeased. And then, she looked at Raito. "What you've done isn't very nice."

L looked at the mirror again, and then looked most displeased. And then, she looked at Raito. "What you've done isn't very nice."

"Hey, it was just a joke." Personally, she didn't find it very nice that before, L had been egging her on to try out those gaudy colours on herself, and now she hated being the butt of the joke. "Don't tell me you have no sense of humor."

But L hated to lose and be made a fool out of, so her onyx eyes just hardened a bit, and Raito shrugged as if to say, _Big deal_.

"What's going on here?"

They both turned around to find Misa at their door. How did she get here? She had a separate floor to herself, why would she come to see them?

They opened their mouths to say something, most likely to tell her to get out, but she ignored them and came in. "What are you two fighting about?" she rolled her eyes, and looked around, and then started as she saw, _really saw_ L.

"Ryuuzaki," she said slowly and once again Raito had to fight her to stop herself from laughing. She wished that she'd had a camera to take pictures of this and keep them as souvenirs once she had proven to L that she was not Kira.

"You look like a Kabukicho prostitute."

_Well_, mused Raito, _not in that outfit. Kabukicho prostitutes would never wear something so conservative. Maybe with one of Misa's dresses..._

"I've never been to Kabukicho," L deadpanned, "but thank you."

"Seriously," Misa's eyes were as round as saucers. "What happened to you?"

"It was Yagami-kun's idea," answered the detective. "And your make up."

"My make up?" Misa echoed incredulously and then threw Raito a glare of accusation. "You were supposed to put that on yourself!"

_Uh-oh_. Raito threw her hands up in effort to calm the blonde down. "I was just having some fun, Misa," she explained to her friend and then lied through her teeth, "I really did intend to use some of it. Even Ryuuzaki thought I should - "

That was the wrong thing to say because Misa's expression changed into one of shock. "Ryuuzaki approves?" she uttered in bewilderment.

"Yes," said L in perfect guilelessness. "How can I deny such an ardent wish of Amane-san when she is such a loyal friend to Raito-kun?"

Then Misa squealed. She actually squealed. Raito turned pale. She didn't like it when she didn't know what was going on.

"Hey - " she started but Misa interrupted her by grabbing her arm and dragging her along. "If Ryuuzaki agrees then it must be a good idea!" she chirped enthusiastically.

Raito's jaw dropped open. Since when had Misa turned into such a mindless supporter of L? She'd always disliked the detective, calling her a sick pervert and control freak, and now she was changing her opinion just because L thought she should use her stupid make up?

"Come to my room, Raito, I'll dress you up!" the blonde babbled on, paying no heed to Raito's protests and glares at L. "It's what I've wanted to do all along, really."

"Shall I bring a camera?" asked L with a devilish glint in her onyx eyes, completely ignoring Raito's _I'll kill you_ glare.

"That would be a great idea," grinned Misa, "thanks!"

L quickly grabbed something from the table (probably the camera) and followed them out. Raito sighed in resign, but then got a ray of hope when she realised that they could probably take a pic of L looking ridiculous, too. Her spirits were lifted even more when she saw the dark lipstick on L's teeth.

It would be perfect revenge.  
_-fin_

A/N: Hip Hop Charcoals are a range from Bonne Bell. I was actually going to use Vampire Cosmetics but I think they're out of business now :(. Serria suggested dusky rose for L's lips but I figured that Raito would be a little meaner ;).

Kabukicho is the Tokyo red light district and King's Cross is one in London. Wikipedia has so much info on this it's creepy (well, not really).

And I've always wondered about a girl fight between L and Raito ;).

Thanks for reading! 


End file.
